VIDEO ▒ OPEN BROADCAST ▒ FORWARD DATED JULY 30 ░▒▓█▛▟▛▙▚▞▗ ▘

[eripui]

[ The feed begins with a single tone, low, as if testing the audio capabilities of the devices. On the screen is an older man, white haired with bright blue eyes, standing in front of a deep blue banner emblazoned in gold with a circular symbol containing three five-pointed stars. Though his face now is solemn, there are laughter lines soft at corners of his eyes, the set of his mouth one clearly used to the curve of a smile. He only waits a moment before beginning to speak, voice level, carrying an assured authority, a confidence borne from experience. ]

Residents of the Tranquility, I greet you today after many, many years of waiting. My name is Hendrik van Rijn, Prime Minister of the Miraxian Triad, the people who built and launched the ship you've been trapped on. You may not have heard of me, but I have heard of you, and all the terrible events you've been forced to endure as a result of the unprecedented malfunction which took the Tranquility so far from her intended path. I offer you the deepest sympathies of my people, and myself. Mistakes have been made, and I give you every assurance that now, with your return to us, we will find the cause of this tragedy and set things right.

I know you may have heard promises before, and met with the unfortunate souls in our society who prefer to cheat and steal than offer a helping hand. I know you have no reason to trust me; if I'd been through as much as you have, I wouldn't trust me either. But we have someone else here to speak to you, and I hope hearing from her will help to show the truth of our intentions, and allow us to begin the forging of a strong partnership as we move into the future.

[ With a last look to the camera, he steps back, turning his attention to the side and holding out a hand to greet and guide the woman joining him to take center. The woman's face is one known to many aboard the ship. She's gracious as she steps into view, appearing to squeeze the man's hand before she lets go and takes her place.

Odessa Knutson. ]

Thank you, Prime Minister.

[ Her attention turns to the camera then, head tilting to one side as a wide smile spreads across her familiar features. She has a look of health to her. A better diet, some proper sunlight, and time will do that. ]

Hello, Tranquility. [ Spoken in the same way one might ask, did you miss me? ] It's been a long time. Too long. For all of us. [ That smile turns a little sad. They've been through some horrors, haven't they? Time and distance has allowed much of it to become a distant memory. ]

The time has come to stop running. When I left the ship, I didn't know what to expect. We received so many conflicting stories, didn't we? I expected all the worst ones to be true, but it was a risk I was willing to take. I'm sure many of you can understand why. Still, I was afraid that I would find monsters. That I would be thrown in a dark cell and never see the light of day again. Now, I don't say this often, but... [ Her hands spread out to her sides, palms up in a gesture that says just look at me. ] I was wrong. After my escape two years ago, Prime Minister van Rijn's people found me. They gave me food, clothing, shelter, a new life and a new purpose...

To find all of you, and help you to be rescued as I had been rescued. I know most of you aren't like me; I'm starting over here, and I'm happier than I've ever been, but many of you have lives you want to return to. [ The delight she has in sharing this good news seems genuine enough, especially (or even) to those who know her well. She clasps her hands in front of her, a light in her eyes. ] I've seen what the Miraxians have been working on myself. There's hope, so much hope.

Pack your bags, my friends. We're coming to take you home.

[[ OOC: van Rijn exited stage left once off camera, and responses will come from Odessa Knutson only. ]]

Comments

[treasonista]

About the man personally? What do you expect me to say? That we take afternoon tea together, and he relieves himself of the burdens of his mind? He's a politician. One faced with a great and terrible problem. The solution is his white whale.

[ The Tranquility. ]

[circumitus]

Something truthful would be nice. "He's a politician" is a rather broad answer considering we know next to nothing about their government, their political views, or what the state of their society is.

Plus, have met quite a few politicians before. They were usually assholes.

What great and terrible problem could this ship possibly have offered?

[treasonista]

You want something true? These people want this ship back. They would rather rescue you all in the process of retrieving it. In all truthfulness, it is in your best interests to help them do this, not hinder them.

This ship has done nothing but leave ghost stories, because there's no one left in any place where we have docked to tell the tale. These people are frightened of you.

[ Frightened people aren't notorious for making the most rational decisions. ]

[circumitus]

...Fair.

[Being feared is nothing new to Rey. Even back home she made a fuckton of people uneasy.

[The timing of this all seems pretty impeccable, too.]

How is it that they were able to catch up with the ship this time? What made van Rijn so lucky after well over a century, chasing a ghost story?

[treasonista]

I don't know. It's as if the stars and planets aligned, and there you were. I thought I'd be having this conversation with all of you when I was old and grey.

[circumitus]

[Ha ha, Odessa.]

So you wouldn't happen to know anything about why we'd been pulled backwards this most recent jump and conveniently into the eyesight of van Rijn himself?

[It seems like a fair assumption to make that, just maybe, they were being somehow "pulled" in that direction for whatever reason. But perhaps not, too. She's just trying to piece together what the hell is going on and how this happened.]

[treasonista]

If I had to hazard a guess? You're here because the ship wants you to be here. All this time, the ship - or some force within it - has seemed to call the shots. Why should that change now?

[ The fuck if she knows, to be honest. ]

[circumitus]

It just seems strange that it would suddenly decide to change its mind and turn back after all these years of trying to avoid its pursuers. Though, suppose it's a bit much to assume exactly who -- or what -- has been "calling the shots" when it comes to where this ship has been jumping towards.

[Don't mind Rey, she's just thinking out loud.]

[treasonista]

How long has it been since I left? For all of you, I mean.

[ Odessa narrows her eyes faintly, trying to decide which track to direct her train of thought to. ]

[circumitus]

[She thinks.]

Heard about your departure after the forty-third jump. The most recent one was the forty-fifth.

So, not very long for us at all. Which you can probably see why some people are still a bit sour.

[treasonista]

Gracious. That's hardly any time. I hope you'll bear with me. I'm at something of a disadvantage here...

[ It narrows down other variables at play, though. While Odessa doesn't like to recall her time on the Tranquility all that often, it's still vivid whether she likes it or not. ]

Something did change, though. The DUPRR boarded the ship. Perhaps the outside influence was enough to urge the ship to familiar space? [ She saw what Basher was capable of. ] Or maybe one of your prisoners isn't as secure as you thought.

[circumitus]

For what it's worth, don't hold it against you for wanting to pop smoke.

[Rey feels her jaw tense at that last part, though her expression tries to remain neutral.]

Shit. You don't know about that.

[Of course, why would she know? Odessa was already gone.]

[treasonista]

I appreciate that a great deal. You seem to be in a minority.

[ Odessa tips her head quizzically, eyes narrowing just so. ]

Know about what?

[circumitus]

Don't really care about what other people think.

[As far as she's concerned, Rey has just about as every right to be hated.]

Their pilot. He's in the White Room -- the ship's core.

[treasonista]

[ Well, that's something. ]

No shit?

[circumitus]

Yes.

...

Perhaps that answers my own question.

[ not here ]

[lostsoldier]

[ Thanks Reybama. ]

[treasonista]

No one really knows what happens to people who go in there, right?

However... Given the current state of things, maybe that has something to do with it.

[ Spooky. ]

[circumitus]

[2spooky]

It would certainly explain some things.

[Like why Smiley called her a "traitor".]